In North America, a roll-off is a usually open top

dumpster A dumpster is a movable waste container designed to be brought and taken away by a special collection vehicle, or to a bin that a specially designed garbage truck lifts, empties into its hopper, and lowers, on the spot. The word is a generic t ...

characterized by a rectangular footprint, utilizing wheels to facilitate rolling the dumpster in place. The container is designed to be transported by special roll-off trucks. There are two types of delivery trucks for the bins based on bin size and they are: Hook lift bins and Roll-off bins. Roll-offs are commonly used to contain loads of

construction and demolition waste Construction waste or debris is any kind of debris from the construction process. Different government agencies have clear definitions. For example, the United States Environmental Protection Agency EPA defines construction and demolition materi ...

or other

waste types Waste comes in many different forms and may be categorized in a variety of ways. The types listed here are not necessarily exclusive and there may be considerable overlap so that one waste entity may fall into one to many types. * Agricultural ...

. While most roll-off containers have a swinging door on the end for easier disposal of waste, some roll-off containers are not open top and are used with commercial or industrial

trash compactor A compactor is a machine or mechanism used to reduce the size of material such as waste material or bio mass through compaction. A trash compactor is often used by a home or business to reduce the volume of trash it produces. A baler-wrapper comp ...

s. Construction debris may originate from a

building A building, or edifice, is an enclosed structure with a roof and walls standing more or less permanently in one place, such as a house or factory (although there's also portable buildings). Buildings come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and func ...

site where something is being built,

renovated Renovation (also called remodeling) is the process of improving broken, damaged, or outdated structures. Renovations are typically done on either commercial or residential buildings. Additionally, renovation can refer to making something new, ...

, or

demolished Demolition (also known as razing, cartage, and wrecking) is the science and engineering in safely and efficiently tearing down of buildings and other artificial structures. Demolition contrasts with deconstruction, which involves taking a b ...

. Roll-off dumpsters are also used for various jobs that need much material to be taken away. The material in the roll-off may be taken to a

landfill A landfill site, also known as a tip, dump, rubbish dump, garbage dump, or dumping ground, is a site for the disposal of waste materials. Landfill is the oldest and most common form of waste disposal, although the systematic burial of the wast ...

recycled Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects. The recovery of energy from waste materials is often included in this concept. The recyclability of a material depends on its ability to reacquire the p ...

or disposed/recovered of in some other

way Way may refer to: Paths * a road, route, path or pathway, including long-distance paths. * a straight rail or track on a machine tool, (such as that on the bed of a lathe) on which part of the machine slides * Ways, large slipway in shipbuildi ...

Size

Roll-off containers have a rectangular footprint typically determined by the size of typical trucks. Roll-off container sizes are determined by the amount of debris they can hold, measured in cubic yards. Typical container sizes in the United States are 10, 15, 20, 30, and 40 cubic yards(, , , and ) (or in other nations). While the roll-offs may be rented by volume, there may be weight limitations. Weight limits may be necessary to ensure compliance with road-use and safety laws and regulations. Most roll-off providers will have a weight limit for each container size. Containers loaded with more weight than allowed typically will not be hauled away due to safety reasons. Containers that are overloaded can result in damage to the roll-off truck and the road it drives on. The maximum weight is specified at the beginning of the job. In cases where the material to be disposed of is especially dense, such as dirt, rock, or concrete, a container with lower sidewalls is used. This is to help reduce the risk of exceeding the weight limit. The standard weight limit determined by the department of transportation is not to exceed ten (10) tons of debris.

Operation

After the container is picked up, it is taken to a disposal facility where it is weighed before (gross) and after (tare) dumping. The difference is the net weight, and is used to calculate charges to the customer. For efficiency, some facilities pre-record weights of trucks and containers. This allows the tare weight to be looked up and eliminates the need for a second weighing. Roll-offs are placed by roll-off

truck A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo, carry specialized payloads, or perform other utilitarian work. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, but the vast majority feature body-on-frame constructi ...

s. As the roll-off truck raises its hydraulically operated bed, the roll-off container rolls off the bed. A cable is used to slowly lower the container. After the waste container is loaded, the roll-off truck pulls the filled container onto the roll-off truck with the cable and winch system. If the roll-off truck is not a winch system, then it is most likely a hook-lift system. A hook-lift system works by the truck extending a 90 degree arm with a hook on the end which hooks under a bar and gently lifts the dumpster onto the truck. Most hook-lift systems are on smaller roll-off trucks as they are usually used for 20 yard containers and under. These smaller systems are usually the preferred option on smaller scale construction jobs such as roof replacement, kitchen remodels, and garage clean-outs. Smaller single-axle trucks are generally viewed as safer operations as they are much lighter and more easily transported in residential areas. When carried the roll-off must be covered.

Cost factors

There are three parts to roll-off dumpster pricing: dump rate, haul rate, and overage fees. Dumpster rental companies pay the landfill, transfer station, recycling center, or other type of disposal facility a fee to dump the customer's waste. Fees fluctuate from area to area and facility to facility. Dump fees can be the majority of the cost for the dumpster, and are measured in short tons in the U.S. The haul rate is the rate that roll-off rental companies charge to cover operating costs and generate profit. Overage fees are additional fees the customer must pay if the dumpster is loaded more than the allotted tonnage limit. Overage fees are typically prorated and the same as the company's dump rate.

Disadvantages

One problem often encountered with roll-off containers is the liability of scratching or damaging the surface they are placed on. Most roll-off containers have metal rollers for wheels, which can at times scratch or be abrasive to a concrete or asphalt surface. It is recommended to place a protective board such as

plywood Plywood is a material manufactured from thin layers or "plies" of wood veneer that are glued together with adjacent layers having their wood grain rotated up to 90 degrees to one another. It is an engineered wood from the family of manufactured ...

under the container to avoid a situation where the placement surface can be damaged. Most roll-off companies do not offer plywood, but will place the container on the wood if supplied
The roll-off
must be placed on a hard surface other than dirt. Gravel, asphalt, and concrete are all acceptable. If the container is placed on dirt, the wheels may sink after a rainfall event and the truck could get stuck. There are many items that are not accepted by roll-off rental companies. These items include but are not limited to chemicals, including paint and petroleum products, tires, and electronics. The prohibition of items is often to comply with laws and regulations concerning disposal of hazardous materials. Roll-off drivers may refuse to pick up loads containing prohibited materials. If the load is picked up, the roll-off rental company may charge the customer additional for cleaning the load and proper handling of the contaminating material.

Legal issues

Some

municipalities A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the ...

require that a permit be obtained in order to have a roll-off dumpster delivered. If the container is being set on

private property Private property is a legal designation for the ownership of property by non-governmental legal entities. Private property is distinguishable from public property and personal property, which is owned by a state entity, and from collective or ...

, most cities will not require a permit. Some municipalities require the permit to be obtained by the customer, while others require the permit to be obtained by the roll-off provider. However, many cities do not require permits to have a dumpster delivered. There are usually prohibited items that are commonly not allowed for disposal, such as hazardous materials, tires, freon appliances, televisions, paint, asbestos, batteries, oils, fuels, and tar-treated railroad ties because of regulations affecting final waste disposal.

References